AT&P Rentals named the fastest growing company in the North East

Packed event highlights the companies doing most to add growth to the region's economy

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Tim Rice from A T and P Rentals with overall winner award at The Journal’s Fastest 50 event held at Baltic, Gateshead

Construction vehicle and equipment hire company A T & P Rentals made it a remarkable double in more ways than one to triumph in the 2014 Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 Awards.

The company, which is part of CJ Leonard & Sons and is based in Guisborough, won the award for fastest growing North East company for 2014, as well as being named the fastest-growing medium-sized company in the region.

It is not the first time A T &amp; P Rentals have triumphed in the awards, which are organised and sponsored by leading law firm Ward Hadaway.

Back in 2002, A T & P Rentals was named the fastest-growing small business in the North East in the Fastest 50 Awards for that year.

Tim Rice, general manager at A T &amp; P Rentals, said: “It’s a wonderful thing to receive something like this for all the hard work and effort which we have put in over the years.

“It is a fantastic achievement, not just for the directors of the company, but also for all the staff for the hard work which they have put in.

“We have great skills and great people in the North East, which we should all be proud of, and this is a wonderful way to celebrate that.

“Hopefully, winning this award motivates us to keep going with the growth at A T &amp; P Rentals – we will definitely try to be back again next year.”

A T & P Rentals has grown considerably in recent years after diversifying into other areas, including industrial property, in addition to its core self-drive construction equipment hire business.

The company received its awards at a ceremony at BALTIC, the Centre for Contemporary Art, in Gateshead on Friday.

A T & P Rentals fought off competition from building and fabrication company Hodgson Sayers and property developer Jomast Developments to win the fastest growing medium-sized business award.

The other winners at the Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 Awards for 2014 were Newcastle-based Careline Lifestyles and Techflow Flexibles of Cramlington, Northumberland.

Careline Lifestyles pipped care-home company Motherdale Limited and 2013’s fastest-growing small business I Love Wallpaper to be named the fastest-growing small business of 2014.

Careline provides nursing and residential care for people with acquired brain injuries, neurological and mental health needs, learning and physical disabilities as well as nursing, residential and social care for the elderly. It was established in 2006 and operates four care homes with two more under development.

Techflow Flexibles was named the fastest growing large business of 2014, ahead of second placed wine company Lanchester Wine Cellars Limited and third placed offshore fabrication company Close Engineering.

Techflow Flexibles specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of hoses to the oil and gas exploration and production industries. The company moved into a new £3m factory in 2013 with plans to double its turnover and workforce.

The winning companies were revealed before an audience of more than 200 business leaders and representatives of the Fastest 50 companies at Six Restaurant on the top floor of Baltic. BBC Breakfast business presenter Steph McGovern was the guest of honour at the event, giving the keynote speech and announcing the winners.

Steph said that while challenges remained in the North East, including the skills gap and wage levels, there was much to be positive about the region, including a record number of people in employment and the potential for greater devolution of tax and spending powers.

She added: “We have an awful lot going for us and there is a lot to be proud about, not least the achievements of all the companies in this year’s Fastest 50.”

The Fastest 50 is sponsored and organised by Ward Hadaway and supported by The Journal.

Colin Hewitt, partner and head of commercial at Ward Hadaway, said: “Yet again, the Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 has highlighted all that is best about North East business.

“The three winners and indeed every company in the Fastest 50 embody the qualities of hard work, flair and can-do determination which makes this region such a great place to do business. The Fastest 50 for 2014 has emphasised the strength and diversity of the North East economy with businesses from a whole host of sectors in the final rankings.

“This year’s winners demonstrate the geographical spread of success being enjoyed in the region, spanning from Northumberland right down to Teesside.

“It is also highly impressive to see a company which won an award as a small business in 2002 return 12 years later as a medium-sized and overall winner, a demonstration of remarkable consistency.”

Brian Aitken, editor of The Journal, introduced the awards, which reward profit-making privately owned companies and organisations in the region which have shown the strongest sales growth over recent years.

Brian paid tribute to the success of the companies in this year’s Fastest 50 and called for businesses to sign up to the paper’s campaign for prompt payments to be made to their fellow companies.

n Further coverage of the Fastest 50 for 2014 will feature in a special supplement in Wednesday’s Journal.